


Following in Her Footsteps?

by goldensummertime



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Conquest route probably, F/M, Gen, Selena curses of course but whats new, could also be revelation but I haven't played that one yet, there is nothing for this ship NOTHING
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 08:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6510928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldensummertime/pseuds/goldensummertime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's terribly ironic to have an unrequited love on someone who also has an unrequited love, but to be the daughter of someone famous for that, and repeat those actions? Insufferable!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Following in Her Footsteps?

**Author's Note:**

> So I was disappointed at the complete lack of anything for this ship, and I was trying to relieve stress from school, so I wrote this. I may or may not do a large fic of this ship, but for now, take this writing thing I put together... I can only hope other people also ship this... maybe... As far as I know there's no major spoilers, but there are slight references to other supports and hints to who Selena is. I suppose that's old news though. Happy reading~

Selena huffed again, tossing the newly sharpened sword to the side, and she listened to the familiar clang of metal that accompanied it. “Everyone here is so insufferable…”

Of course, by everyone, she mainly meant a certain three people. Laslow of course was naturally annoying, but after she decided to play along with his game (and sicken herself so dearly in the process that she would probably never be able to flirt again whether real or not) he seemed to have been less insufferable than normal.

Odin was being… well, Odin. Elise had also been encouraging his eccentric behavior lately, which caused Selena no end to her pain and embarrassment of sharing a common past with the mage. He was a prince for goodness sake, or the Ylissean counterpart. He needed to take a tip from Kamui and begin to learn from her. The Nohrian princess had been quite the greenhorn when Selena had met up with her again, but after the numerous battles (nowhere near as dark as the ones in the terrible future, but Selena couldn’t blame her stress) the manakete had shaped up to be a fairly decent commander. Only fairly decent. Morgan and Robin were much better by comparison, but Selena knew that the latter two had trained for years while Kamui was basically thrust into the position. At least she had the aide of the two Nohrian princes.

Speaking of Leo, he had pissed the Ylissean off again. Of course. It wasn’t very hard to get her angry, Selena lamented, but jeez he could be a little nicer at least. She would never know what Kamui, or anyone really, saw in him since he was a little bit stuck up, very distant, or altogether too clingy. It made no sense, but when Selena saw it unfold before her eyes, she had to admit that even two vastly different events could coexist.

Like, perhaps, maybe, the fact that she herself was falling in love with someone who was also as insufferable, from the distant past, and someone who was currently pursuing an unrequited love.

It was terribly ironic, and Selena felt like gagging at the thought of it. If her mother was to see her repeating her past actions, Selena was sure that her mother would be either pitying or overexcited…

Her own unrequited love wasn’t nearly as sobering as the one Cordelia had held for Chrom, but it was rather humiliating. At least her mother, her perfect mother, had fallen for someone who was almost as equally perfect (although Selena knew from experience that the current exalt was really anything but. He just managed to make everything look perfect somehow). Selena had fallen for someone who was very far from perfect. Of course, she herself was also very, very far from perfect, so it was probably fitting that her own relationship would reflect the one her mother had created, in some sort of sick, twisted, parallel way.

“Selena, are you ok? You seem tired.” Speak of the Nohrian princess. Selena turned around, making sure that she didn’t have a wrathful expression on her face.

Sure, she and the princess were actually fairly close. Had gotten to be close quickly. Kamui was close with a few other people though, but the Ylissean prided herself on being one of the first, and one of the closest.

“Nothing’s wrong about anything, I’m fine, not lamenting at all.” She huffed for emphasis. “Why would you care…?”

Kamui gave a sigh of annoyance. She was probably constantly getting ticked off at Selena’s back and forth tendencies, but at least she wasn’t as zealous as Keaton was. Heck, his whole proposal to Camilla was super cringe worthy. Selena had accidently been in the area for whatever ungodly reason (hunting) and had overheard the wolfskin’s cringe worthy proposal.

But, at least it had worked. Selena was certain that any type of proposal she could give (if ever) would be super lame and embarrassing, like her.

“I care because you’re my friend, and one of the most valuable people in my army. Er, group. Lately, you’ve been rather sulky. More than normal anyway.” Kamui gave a sigh and rubbed her temples. “I know I was like that at one point, but really, you can tell me if you have a problem.”

“I’d love to, I really would, but you’re an indirect part of that problem, and telling you everything would be super embarrassing and honestly, the direct part of the problem would probably kill me and spit on my grave.”

Kamui was silent for a few moments, expression blank as she processed the retainer’s sentence, and then started to laugh lightly for a few moments, startling Selena.

“What the heck, is my pitiful situation really that funny to you? I see how it is…”

“No, no, it’s just that I didn’t realize he was the source of your moodiness.” Kamui gave one last chuckle before quieting. “I see what’s going on, and honestly, I’ve known for a while.”

Selena blinked before taking a step back. “Are we really on the same page, because I’d hate for us to be talking about two different subjects? Imagine the embarrassment. I would die.”

“So, to get this straight…” Kamui glanced furtively to the sides (not really as stealthily as Selena would expect, but the princess was rather immature at times) before taking a step forward. “It’s Jakob right? Honestly, he drives me crazy sometimes.”

Selena blushed quickly, both at the fact that they were indeed talking about the same problem, and at the fact that the princess had spoken negatively about him.

Not that it was unexpected. He was downright cold to everyone except the princess.

“W-w-what??? No, it’s not him, it’s….. Someone else who’s like him but not him.”

“M-hm. You’re worried about the fact that he’s shown attention to me and feel rather blindsided by this fact.”

“Uh, no. He’s always been like that.”

Golden blinked for a few seconds before laughing. “Haha right sometimes I forget…”

Selena sighed. “I thought we were working out my problem here, not affirming yours…”

“Right, right…” Golden cleared her throat. “Well, I’d known for a while that he had liked me in that way, but I just… can’t return it…”

Selena knew exactly why, but wasn’t about to bring it up, considering Kamui was still in denial. What a bother.

“I didn’t want to hurt him at all, and I knew that eventually those feelings would die away but…” She sighed. “Sorry, I’m trailing off again. How about you take the lead?”

Selena huffed, hoping that her blush had since disappeared. “It’s just… exactly the situation that my mother was in. It’s almost scary. It reminds me that I’m just a useless daughter, fated to fall behind in her footsteps and wander in her shadow for the rest of my life.” She sighed. “Why couldn’t I have chosen a different fate…?”

“Honestly, for a while there, I thought you and Laslow were a thing.”

Selena whipped her head around, her pigtails nearly hitting the princess. “Oh hell no. He and Xander and Peri can go dance along to the sunset without me. We just have history together, that’s all. Not like Odin and I are a thing.”

“Right right, sorry I misunderstood. About your mother though, well, you aren’t useless.” Kamui was silent as Selena blinked in incredulousness. “Really. I doubt anyone hates you. Except the Hoshidans of course…”

“Don’t flatter me, Kamui. I know a lot of people dislike me. I know I’m not strong or anything, and it’s ok. It’s… it’s just how it is.” She sighed. “It’s ok that I’ll be pursuing an unrequited love as well. Repeating the bitter cycle…”

“Well, is it really completely unrequited?”

Selena snorted. “Don’t make me laugh. Did you see his face when you almost died? Stuff of tragedy tales.”

“Of course he’d be upset it I almost died, but I don’t think you give yourself nearly enough credit with how you come off on people. Maybe like ¼ credit.” Kamui turned to look at the pavilion where various Nohrians in their group were conversing about various subjects. “Beruka feels more talkative around you. Laslow and Odin are always happier when you’re around them. Effie is glad there’s another strong woman to train with her. I’m glad to have someone to talk to about darker subjects.” She gave a light sigh. “Jakob is also happier around you. I think being around someone who also has a touchy past has made him lighten up a bit. Be more willing to come forth with his emotions.”

“Have you seen him at all lately? He’s all stiff and stuttery when he talks to me. Probably knows that I know about his thing for you and is all embarrassed about it.”

Kamui gave a sigh and looked at Selena through the corner of her eyes. “Thing for me? Like I said, that’s more a thing of the past.”

“Yea, sure.”

“No really.” Kamui turned to face Selena fully, and the mercenary couldn’t help but look her in the eyes. “I knew about it in the past, knew that I couldn’t return the feelings, so I told him. At that point, I think he realized that his affections for me were of the person he saw me as, rather than me myself…”

Selena knew feelings like that well, having already suffered through one unrequited love. “I thought you were perfect though, not just perfect in someone else’s eyes.”

“You know more than anyone else that I’m not perfect…” Kamui rubbed her arm, seemingly embarrassed. She stiffened again. “Ugh, stop changing the subject.” She pointed her finger accusingly at Selena. “We’re talking about your love life here!”

“Ugh…” Selena knew how crushing affections for another person could be. It had taken her mother years upon years to get over Chrom, and it had taken herself years and multiple worlds to get over her last love. She had gotten over him though, at least. Perhaps Jakob had also recovered…

“Honestly, everyone knows what’s going on between you two.”

Selena stuttered in pure shock for a few moments, red in the face, before turning her head with a huff. “W-well, so what, it’s just banter! Everyone knows what’s been going on between you and Prince Leo for months. Did you think we wouldn’t notice? Ha, what a joke.”

It was now Kamui’s turn to stiffen, and her face turned a nice shade of red, to Selena’s triumph. “W-w-w-w… Don’t change the subject!”

“Haha, did I strike a nerve?”

“As if! He proposed to me a few hours ago…”

What. What the hell. Prince Leo was fast.

Not nearly as fast as Niles of course, but still.

Selena stood in shock for a few more moments as Kamui turned her head to look in the direction of the mess tent. “I was planning to tell you, but I didn’t want to make you feel any more upset than you already were. Although, it might have a positive effect, right? Knowing that Jakob and I won’t be together? That’s what was making you feel bad, right? You didn’t want to feel jealous of me, so you decided to keep quiet.”

Selena huffed again and crossed her arms. “As if. I was just keeping to myself because I like to. No other reason.”

Kamui gave another light laugh and closed her eyes. “Yea, that’s it.” Silence continued for a few seconds as Selena debated what she would do with this new information, and then Kamui touched Selena on the shoulder. “There’s really no need to feel worried any more. I think, once you observe your surroundings for a bit more, you’ll realize that your happiness is closer than you think.”

“Not really…” Golden stepped back as Selena gave a quiet retort, and the tone of the conversation completely changed. “It doesn’t matter if he likes me back or not. It doesn’t matter how much closer we get. Being this close in the first place is… “ She bit her tongue. “It hurts.”

“But you two are closer to each other than near anyone else in the army. Why would it hurt?”

Selena blinked back tears and turned away. “You wouldn’t understand.” She glanced to Kamui, shutting the princess up. “You really wouldn’t.”

“Well, of course I won’t if you don’t tell me.” Kamui crossed her arms. “I can tell that this conversation is really painful for you, but if you don’t share it with anyone, you won’t ever be able to recover.”

“I’ve told Odin and Laslow as much.” Selena sighed, unsure at how to continue the conversation. “It’s just… I don’t think you’d even be able to comprehend, honestly.”

“Try me. I’m a dragon, remember? I can believe a lot of things. Lots of things…” Her eyes took on a darker shade.

“I don’t want to burden you with things that can’t be changed. I suppose I’d just have to tell the people it affects most…”

Kamui gave one last sigh before her shoulders sagged in resignation. “If you say so…”

“Did such tactics work on Prince Leo, or were your looks enough?”

“Well, sure, we were both suffering and I offered a shoulder. So did he. You and Jakob seem to work in that way as well.”

“I never noticed.”

Kamui and Selena then parted ways, and the latter went to eat at the mess tent, finally feeling her tiredness from training with the enthusiastic knight.

It wasn’t that she was still jealous of Kamui, but she wished that the butler could have looked at her in that same way. The way that her mother looked at her when she was about to die. It was a pure expression, really, an expression where someone’s true feelings about someone came forth.

Too bad no one thought that way about her any more. She didn’t have enough redeeming qualities anyway.

The pink haired maid brought her a meal of meat cooked in cabbage. It tasted nice, so Selena figured that it hadn’t been Felecia that had cooked it.

“Hm? This is my recipe…” She hadn’t shared it with but a few people, two of them being out and about right now in the first place.

“Yes it is, although I made a few alterations to the initial stages.” Selena nearly choked on her steak as Jakob sat down in front of her, although she managed to save face with a quick gulp of water.

That was why Kamui was looking at the mess tent earlier. Sneaky.

“Thought my cooking was so bad that it could only survive via use of an expert change?” Selena snarked to the man in front of her. It was a natural reaction at this point, and Selena felt slightly bad that, instead of his usual retaliation, he seemed slightly hurt. She looked to the side, feeling more guilty.

“Your cooking isn’t bad, if that’s what you’re worried about, Selena.”

“No, of course not. I just know it’s not as good as others would prefer.” She sighed and began eating her meal again, stretching out her right leg to make sure her muscles didn’t tense up.

“Actually, a lot of people here like your cooking. You must give yourself more credit for once.”

“What do you want? You don’t usually heap false praise on me unless you want something. Out with it.” Selena gave a sigh. It wasn’t entirely true, and their first conversation hadn’t even been about gains and losses, but getting to know him more showed that he didn’t do anything for no reason.

“If I said ‘a good conversation’, would you believe me, or would you be inclined to ignore that statement?” He folded his hands on the table and looked at her with a serious expression, which was slightly off-putting.

She blinked a few times. “Ok, fine, sometimes you just want to talk to talk, but forgive me if I was mistaken based on our past conversations.” She gave a sigh and continued to chew.

Silence continued for a few more minutes, which confused Selena. If he was going to sit down in front of her to talk, why wouldn’t he be… talking…?

“What is it? I haven’t got all day.”

“Why do you talk so much more archaically around me? You are much more casual around Lady Kamui and your two friends.”

“What? I speak differently?” She paused for a few seconds. “I suppose I do… Well, I haven’t got a clue as to that reason.”

“Are you trying to…? No, never mind.”

“Hmph. I’m not trying to do anything. Perhaps it’s just instinct, being around Lady Camilla enough. Servant to servant, right?”

“Is that how you see me?”

“What are you getting at, Jakob? Stop beating around the bush, for goodness sake.” Selena gave a sigh and rubbed her forehead, setting her fork down. “Ugh, this reminds me of my parents’ proposal…”

“W-what…?!”

She looked up to see Jakob quickly turn his head to the side, flustered. “It… It was just an observation. Ugh, my mom works herself into my life wherever I go, whenever…”

“Your inferiority complex has died down at least, but you needn’t bring up your mother in every conversation.”

“Sorry, I’m still working on that…” Selena was quiet, and looked to the side. “I miss her a lot though. No matter what she was on my life.” She sighed, sharply, and began eating again. “Oh well, what happened… happened…”

“No matter how many times you share with me what happened… It never fails to shock me…”

“To someone like you, of course it would. Odin, Laslow and I lived through it, but to everyone else it would seem like something out of a story. At least we’re not fighting the risen.”

“Is that what they’re called?”

“Shit.” She had been so careful to not reveal any names. Blushing in shame, she looked at Jakob. “If you wouldn’t mind, keep that tidbit of information to yourself.”

“Perhaps I will if it benefits me in some way.” He gave one of his teasing smiles, and Selena narrowed her eyes in mock annoyance.

“Hmm, ok, what do I have to do this time? Find more onions, forge another knife?”

He was silent, an expression other than jesting in his eyes, and Selena found herself growing more and more confused.

“Perhaps… A trip into town?”

That was new.

“Well, I can’t guarantee that I won’t be making off with more useless junk, but if that’s how you want to spend your time with me, then I guess I won’t argue.”

“It’s not entirely useless. Sure, you buy way too much, but you place sentimental value on the eccentricities that you buy.”

She wasn’t about to tell him it was because of her ‘fun and games’ with Brady (it was an entirely bad idea to begin with but at least it had created good memories). “Well… At one time, I had near nothing. Of course I’d care about what I have now.” She touched the hilt of her sword and gave a longing sigh.

Jakob gave her another confusing look that she couldn’t pin down and stood up. “Before that, I have more jobs that need attending to, so good bye.” He dipped his head once and headed out of the mess hall.

Selena continued finishing up her meal. “Shit, I didn’t ask him why he was dancing around the subject. Sneaky bastard…”


End file.
